Beijing’s anti-corruption organ is investigating an executive at a top military equipment supplier, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), notorious for its alleged involvement in human rights violations supported by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
He Wenzhong, a member of the Party Committee and deputy general manager of CETC, is under investigation for alleged “serious violations of discipline and laws,” according to a notice from the website of the country’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on April 7.
Mr. He assumed his position as the CETC deputy general manager in May 2023. In 2020, the CCP recognized him as the nation’s outstanding CCP member and as an individual in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
CETC and its subsidiaries have faced multiple sanctions by the U.S. government in response to human rights abuses in recent years.
In 2018, four research institutes under CETC were on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List, and in 2020, more CETC subsidiaries were listed as entities for being involved in China’s South China Sea reclamation efforts.
In 2021, the U.S. Export Administration Regulations added more CETC-associated institutes to the Entity List for enabling activities contrary to the foreign policy interests of the United States, such as those implicated in CCP’s campaign of repression, mass detention and high-technology surveillance against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
On its official website, the CETC described itself as “a backbone state-owned enterprise in China.” Established in 2002, the company owns over 700 entities, including 47 national-level research institutes, 17 listed companies, and 41 national-level key laboratories, research centers, and innovation centers. It employs over 200,000 staff, with 55 percent being R&D personnel.
The company engaged in defense electronics such as radar systems, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleets, navigation systems, and electronic warfare systems.
Among its dozens of subsidiaries is Hikvision, a supplier of video surveillance equipment for civilian and military purposes, which also faced sanctions from the United States.
Last year, the regime carried out a major personnel purge in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), resulting in the downfall of several senior officers in the Rocket Force.
Li Shangfu, the Minister of National Defense, disappeared from public view at the end of August last year. Two months later, he was removed from his positions as State Councilor and Minister of National Defense.
Beijing has not disclosed the details of Mr. He’s case, nor has it revealed whether this case is related to the investigation of the Rocket Force or Mr. Li’s dismissal.
Turmoil has taken place at the military industry companies since last year, with a number of high-level personnel dismissed, including Wu Yansheng, chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Liu Shiquan, chairman of China Ordnance Industry Group, Wang Changqing, deputy general manager of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Feng Jiehong, director of China Aerospace Sanjiang Group Chairman, and Wang Xiaojun, former President of China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
On February 4, Zhang Jianwu, the former party secretary of the China Ordnance Industry Group Changchun Equipment Technology Research Institute, was placed under investigation.
On April 3, Li Zhaozhi, former director of the Equipment Support Department of China Ordinance Industry Group, was placed under investigation.
